Non-loosening hinge



Feb. 22, 1966 R ANDERSON 3,235,903

NON-LOOSENING HINGE Original Filed Sept. 50, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

BY W

1966 L. R. ANDERSON 3,235,903

NON-LOOSENING HINGE Original Filed Sept. 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 O wiii'ws HHMM IMIHMHII INVENTOR Feb. 22, 1966 R. ANDERSON 3,235,903

NON-LOOSENING HINGE Original Filed Sept. 30, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 1N VENTOR.

United States Patent 3,235,903 NON-LOOSENING HINGE Lloyd Robert Anderson, 5400 Pooks Hill Road, Bethesda, Md.

Original application Sept. 30, 1957, Ser. No. 687,130, new Patent No. 3,021,554, dated Feb. 20, 1962. Divided and this application Feb. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 193,641

Claims. (Cl. 16-167) The present invention relates to building hardware and more particularly to a hinge construction of general utility such as used on doors.

Although hinges have been used for many years and with all types of door closers, door stops, and door holders, hinges heretofore used have not been entirely satisfactory because the attaching screws have come loose, particularly the attaching screws for the jamb leaf of the top hinge. The screws for the top hinge of doors repeatedly come loose due to the tension on the screws caused by the weight of the door as well as the reaction produced by the door stops, door holders, or door closers.

This application is a division of prior application, Serial No, 687,130, filed September 30, 1957, now Patent No. 3,021,554, issued February 20, 1962, which was a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 402,502 filed January 6, 1954, now Patent No. 2,853,747.

In doors equipped with a door stop or door holder reacting against the top edge of the door close to the top hinge for preventing the door from opening too far, additional strain is produced on the screws securing the jamb leaf of the top hinge to the hinge jamb of the door frame. The repeated stress and strain causes the screws to pull out resulting in sagging doors requiring much expensive maintenance to keep the door operative.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hinge structure which will overcome the problem of screws becoming loose.

A further object is to provide a hinge structure which reinforces the top edge of a door and the door frame.

Another object is to provide a hinge structure which will distribute the stress and strain sufiiciently to limit the stress to sufiiciently small loads on each fastening element so that the fastening elements will remain secure without attention.

Another object is to provide a structure which will always have some of the fastening elements in shear stress thereby reducing the tensile stress on the fastening elements.

Still another object is to provide hinge structure which receives a large part of its support from mortised mountings in the door jamb and door.

A further object of the invention is to provide attachments for conventional hinges which will provide anchoring for the jamb leaf to the jamb and lintel of a door frame and/ or the door.

A further object is to provide means to positively retain the jamb leaf of the top hinge of a door against the pulling out of the fastening screws,

Another object is to provide a reinforcing hinge set which may be easily changed for right or left hand use.

Other and further objects will become apparent as the description proceeds and upon reference to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective of still another modification with a surface mount door leaf.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective of a further modification showing an unswaged butt hinge with dihedral angle brackets secured to the hinge to reduce manufacturing costs and reduce inventories.

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the hinge of FIGURE 2 in closed condition.

FIGURE 4 is a partly sectional bottom view of the e 3,235,903 1C Patented Feb. 22, 19,66

hinge of FIGURE 2 in open condition, taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 5 is an elevation of the hinge of FIGURE 2 in open condition as seen from the exposed side when mounted on a door.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 of an opposite handed hinge.

FIGURE 7 is an elevational view of an unswaged hinge for use with either right or left hand hinging which may be used with dihedral angle brackets without regard to handing.

FIGURE 8 is a detail sectional view through the hinge knuckles to show the screw for securing the hinge pin in position.

FIGURE 9 is an elevation of another form of hinge shown in open position and designed for reversible mounting on a door.

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary vertical section through the center of a door and its frame with the door closed.

FIGURES 11 and 12 are fragmentary vertical and horizontal sections respectively taken substantially on lines 11-11 and 1212 respectively of FIGURE 10.

FIGURE 13 is a fragmentary vertical section similar to FIGURE 10 of a further modification of dihedral bracket.

FIGURE 14 is an elevation on a reduced scale of an open hinge similar to that shown in FIGURE 9, with the jamb leaf projecting beyond the knuckles of the hinge.

FIGURE 15 is an elevation of an abutment plate for cooperation with the hinge shown in FIGURE 14.

The anchor hinge shown in FIG. 1 includes the jamb leaf 55 and its retaining strap 60 mounted in the jamb 53 and lintel 62 respectively. The door hinge leaf 64 is of the surface mounted type being held in position by oval head screws 65 on the front surface of the door 66. The jamb leaf 55 is a conventional swaged leaf but the door hinge leaf has a gradual bend at 65A to avoid weakening the leaf.

In FIGS. 2 to 5 a modified form of anchor hinge has been provided from a butt hinge having unswaged leaves 67 and 68 leaving an appreciable space between the leaves when the hinge is in closed position as shown in FIG. 3. A first or door dihedral angle bracket 69 has one leg 70 in face-to-face abutting relation with the inner surface of the hinge door leaf 67 and is fixedly secured thereto by means of screws 71 passing through countersunk apertures in the leg 70 and threaded into registering tapped holes in door leaf 67. Screw receiving holes 71A are provided in the door leaf 67 and register with countersunk holes 71B in the leg 70 of the door angle bracket 69. The other leg 72 of the door dihedral angle bracket is adapted to have screws pass through countersunk holes 73 therein for fastening the door bracket to the top edge of a door.

A jamb dihedral bracket 74 having a leg 75 in abutting face-to-face relation with the jamb leaf 68 of the hinge is secured thereto by means of screws 71 which pass through counter-sunk holes in the leg 75 and threaded into tapped holes in jamb leaf 68, other countersunk holes 76'being provided in leg 75 for jamb leaf attaching screws, the jamb leaf 68 having registering apertures 76A. The other leg 77 of jamb bracket 74 isprovided with countersunk holes 78 for securement to the lintel of -a door frame.

The modification of FIG. 6 has the door dihedral bracket 69 and the jamb dihedral bracket 74 interchanged on the hinge leaves so as to be mounted on hinge leaves 68 and 67 respectively thereby making an opposite handed hinge combination for application to a door opening in the opposite direction. This interchange may be accomplished without requiring any additional parts. The holes in the one hinge leaf 67 are arranged as shown with relation to the holes in the leaf 68 and therefore the dihedral angle brackets may be interchanged merely by removing the attaching screws 71 and changing the dihedral brackets from the position shown in FIGS. 2 to 5 to the position shown in FIG. 6. that the three knuckle part of the hinge is then to be secured to the door instead of to the jamb.

It will be noted that screw receiving holes in leaf 67, leaf 68, leg 75 and leg 70 are arranged in the same pattern in which lines connecting the centers of the corresponding holes are parallel as viewed when the hinge is in open position and thus permits the interchange to accommodate for left and right hand opening doors.

A further modification which will permit interchange of the mounting of the hinge for left hand or right hand operation is shown in FIG. 7 where each hinge leaf 78A and 79 has eight mounting holes which will register with the holes of the hinge leg of either dihedral bracket and the unused holes of the hinge will be covered by the hinge leg of the dihedral bracket. The machine screws 71 threaded into tapped holes 71C will maintain the dihedral brackets in position and the screws for attaching the hinge leaves will pass through the adjacent leg of the dihedral bracket and the hinge thereby additionally maintaining the dihedral brackets in fixed position with relation to its associated hinge leaf.

The hinge of the forms shown in FIGS. 2 to 8 inclusive provides for a kit including a door dihedral bracket, a door frame dihedral bracket and an unswaged hinge whereby the kit may be assembled to accommodate for mounting on a door opening in either direction. It will be noted that the holes in the hinge formed of leaves 67 or 68 do not need to have countersunk holes and that the door dihedral bracket 69 has its holes countersunk on the exterior surfaces while the door frame dihedral bracket 74 has its holes countersunk on the interior surfaces of the bracket.

A hinge having a butt jamb leaf 80 (FIG. 9) and a door leaf 81 pivotally connected together by the usual knuckles and pivot pin is made so the jamb leaf projects beyond both ends of the door leaf to permit reversible use of the hinge. The jamb leaf may project beyond only one end of the door leaf as shown in FIGS. to 13 Where reversible use is not desired.

In using this form of hinge at the top of a door, a dihedral bracket 82 has one leg 83 secured to the lintel '84 of a door frame and the other leg 85 fixed to the hinge jamb 86 of the frame by suitable fastening elements such as screws 87, the jamb leaf 92 being secured to the jamb leg by machine screws 89 threaded into tapped holes in the jamb leg 85. Fixed to the lintel leg of the bracket by machine screws 90 or by welding or the like is an-abutment plate 90A having the end 91 of the plate adjacent the jamb leg spaced from the jamb leg the thickness of the jamb leaf 92 providing a groove snugly receiving the projecting end of the jamb leaf whereby the jamb leaf cannot twist relative to the bracket 82 and the jamb leaf is prevented from pulling out. The door leaf 93 is fixed to the door 94 by the usual fastening elements such as screws 92A.

The jamb hinge leaf 80 or 92 may be mounted directly on the door jamb 86 without using the dihedral angle bracket 82 so the top edge of the jamb leaf projects into the lintel or at least extends up to it. The plate 90A is preferably mortised into the lintel so the end 91 of the plate 90A abuts the face of the top end of the jamb leaf to lock the jamb leaf in position in a manner similar to that shown in FIG. 10.

It will be apparent that overhead door holders may be used with the door 94 and a stud 95 similar to stud 41 may be secured to the plate 90A or to the leg 83 of the bracket so the reaction of the door holder is taken directly by the bracket 82.

A dihedral bracket 96 (FIG. 13) includes a jarrib leg 97 and a lintel leg 98 secured to the hinge jamb and lintel respectively of a door frame by suitable fastening screws By this interchange it will be noted.

4 87. The bracket 96 is formed by the jamb leg having a projecting extension 98 above the lintel leg and a lateral portion 99 with a downwardly extending portion 100 forming a groove 101 which snugly receives the projecting end of the jamb leaf 92 preventing the jamb leaf from rocking and also preventing the jamb leaf from becoming loose from the hinge jamb.

A swaged hinge usable for either hand doors is shown in FIG. 14 and includes an elongated jamb leaf 101 having the usual screw receiving openings therein and an appreciably shorter door leaf 102 hingedly connected thereto by knuckles i103 and 104, and the usual pivot pin 105 held in position by a machine screw 106. It will be noted that the button 107 at the top is removable. The pin 105 having a head 108 can therefore be inserted from either end and the removable button 107 can be applied to the opposite end. When this hinge is used at the top the pin 105 is normally applied so the head 108 thereof is at the bottom.

An abutment plate 109 having screw receiving apertures 110 corresponds to abutment plate 90A (FIG. 10) and jamb leaf 101 is applied so the top end thereof extends into the lintel and the abutment plate 109 is preferably mortise mounted in the lintel so one end thereof bears against and abuts the face of the top end of jamb leaf 101. With this arrangement the hinge and its abutment plate may be used for both handed doors.

It will be noted that jamb leaf 101 projects beyond the button or head 108 so the projecting end may project into sockets formed in the lintel. This is particularly advantageous for use with metal frames where sockets can be formed in the manufacture of the frames. This form of binge may also be used in metal frames where a socket is formed in the lintel similar to that shown in FIG. 10, and the abut-ment plate 109 may also be used to obtain additional security of the hinge, the abutment plate preferably being installed so as to wedge against the projecting end of the jamb leaf.

Although the hinge has been described for use at the upper corner of a door it will be apparent that the hinge may be used at the lower corner or may be used for many other uses where additional strength is desired and where the screws pull out. This hinge saves much expensive architectural construction which is now considered necessary to provide door stops. Present conventional hinge construction is inadequate for use with overhead door holders particularly where doors are subject to high stresses due to winds and drafts. In some building construction architects design specially built walls to prevent doors from opening beyond approximately 90 degrees to forestall damage to the doors, hinges, door closers, etc. Such construction is extremely expensive. By using the non-loosening hinge of the present invention a relatively inexpensive overhead door stop and holder may perform the function of the expensive specially built walls or structural abutments.

Having thus described the invention it will be apparent that changes may be made within the scope and spirit of the invention in accordance with the definition of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A hinge for mounting at the upper or lower end of a door comprising a butt jamb leaf, a door leaf pivotally connected to said jamb leaf, said jamb leaf projecting beyond said door leaf at one end, a dihedral angle bracket for mounting in the dihedral angle between the hinge jamb and the lintel of a door frame, means to secure the bracket to the jamb and the lintel, means at the dihedral angle of the bracket for positively receiving the projecting end of the jamb leaf, means to secure the jamb leaf to the jamb leg of the bracket, and means to secure the door leaf to the door.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which both ends of the jamb leaf project beyond the corresponding ends of the door leaf to permit reversible mounting.

3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said means for receiving the projecting end of the jamb leaf comprises an abutment bar on the dihedral bracket secured to the inner face of the lintel leg of the dihedral bracket so the end of the bar adjacent the jamb leg is spaced from the jamb leg providing a groove for snugly receiving the projecting end of the jamb leaf, and means are provided to maintain the abutment bar in position.

4. The invention according to claim 1 in which the dihedral bracket is formed of a single strap which includes a projecting extension of the jamb leg in which a groove is formed to positively receive the projecting end of the jamb leaf.

5. A non-loosening hinge for mortise mounting in the hinge and head jambs of a door frame comprising a multiple knuckle jamb leaf, a multiple knuckle door leaf cooperating with said jamb leaf, a removable hinge pin interconnecting said leaves, removable strap means completely detachable from said hinge leaves for securement to the head jamb within a mortise recess, said strap means and said jamb leaf having portions in positively abutting relation preventing relative movement of said jamb leaf relative to said strap means and relative to said door frame in which the hinge and strap means are mounted, means to secure the door leaf to the door, means to secure the jamb leaf to the hinge jamb, and means to secure the strap to the head jamb with said portions of said jamb leaf and strap means in abutting relation, said jamb leaf extending beyond the door leaf in the direction of the hinge pin axis the clearance between the door and head jamb plus approximately the thickness of the strap means, said strap means being a single bar with one end portion in abutting relation to the exposed surface of the jamb leaf.

6. A hinge comprising a butt hinge jambleaf for mounting in a mortised recess in a door frame hinge jamb, a door leaf for mounting on the heel edge portion of a door, cooperating knuckle means having aligned pin receiving bores on said butt hinge jamb leaf and said door leaf, a pin connecting said leaves together, said jamb leaf having one end projecting beyond the adjacent end of the door leaf along the axis of the pin, whereby the butt hinge jamb leaf may be mounted on the hinge jamb of a door frame and its one end projecting beyond the adjacent end of the door leaf may be embedded into a recess mortised in the lintel of the door frame, the door leaf being adapted to be mounted on the heel edge portion of a door so that its end adjacent the said one end of the butt hinge jamb leaf does not project above the top edge of the door on which the door leaf is mounted, and a separate abutment plate member for abutting a portion of the surface of the said one end of the butt hinge jamb leaf, said abutment plate member being adapted for mounting in a mortised recess in the lintel of the door frame to prevent the butt hinge jamb leaf from movement away from the door frame hinge jamb.

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which the knuckle means are spaced from said one end of said butt hinge jamb leaf.

8. The invention according to claim 6 in which the knuckle means extends substantially to said one end of said butt hinge jamb leaf.

9. The invention according to claim 6 in which both ends of the butt hinge jamb leaf project beyond the door leaf for either handed installation.

10. The invention according to claim 9 in which the hinge pin is removable and may be inserted from either end.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 26,375 12/1859 Richardson 16-167 487,476 12/1892 Faulhaber et al. 16-151 903,328 11/1908 Shepard 16-130 908,394 12/ 1908 Corbeille.

949,866 2/ 1910 Trotter 16-167 1,052,701 2/1913 Watters 16-169 1,076,689 10/1913 McKinney 16136 1,288,907 12/1918 Johnson.

1,429,527 9/1922 Paul 16-135 1,446,722 2/1923 Peltier 16-135 1,526,546 2/1925 Holm 16-167 2,497,288 2/ 1950 Bissel et al 16-135 2,853,747 9/ 1958 Anderson 16-167 X 3,021,554 2/ 1962 Anderson 16-167 JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Examiner. 

1. A HINGE FOR MOUNTING AT THE UPPER OR LOWER END OF A DOOR COMPRISING A BUTT JAMB LEAF, A DOOR LEAF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID JAMB LEAF, SAID JAMB LEAF PROJECTING BEYOND SAID DOOR LEAF AT ONE END, A DIHEDRAL ANGLE BRACKET FOR MOUNTING IN THE DIHEDRAL ANGLE BETWEEN THE HINGE JAMB AND THE LINTEL OF A DOOR FRAME, MEANS TO SECURE THE BRACKET TO THE JAMB AND THE LINTEL, MEANS AT THE DIHEDRAL ANGLE OF THE BRACKET FOR POSITIVELY RECEIVING THE PROJECTING END OF THE JAMB LEAF, MEANS TO SECURE THE JAMB LEAF TO THE JAMB LEG OF THE BRACKET, AND MEANS TO SECURE THE DOOR LEAF TO THE DOOR. 